Carton for viewing contents and method

ABSTRACT

A carton for viewing the contents thereof without disturbing the integrity of the carton comprising a unitary body enclosed by a wall or walls having apertures for manipulating and viewing the articles contained therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present application relates to a carton for viewing the contents thereof without disturbing the integrity of the carton. More particularly, the present invention relates to a carton having a unitary body enclosed by a wall or walls having apertures for manipulating and viewing articles contained therein.

[0003] 2. State of the Art

[0004] The art is replete with references to cartons for the packaging, transportation and display of various articles of commerce including foodstuffs and beverages. U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,505 issued to D. G. Wolf on Oct. 3, 1972, describes a container for shipping asparagus, the container having windows spaced on its side walls for ventilation of the vegetables during transit. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,228 issued to R. A. Hall on Nov. 28, 1978, describes a carton primarily for the long distance shipping of asparagus, and also for displaying the foodstuff. The carton comprises two parts: the lower half, the box for packing the asparagus having vent holes for ventilating the carton, and the upper half, the cover for the box also having vent apertures for ventilating the food stuff. The carton has viewing apertures in the box and cover enabling a prospective buyer to inspect a portion of the asparagus contained in the box without disrupting the carton. U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,330 issued to E. F. Gilbert on May 6, 1980 also describes a shipping carton having container slots in the rear and front walls for ventilation and a slot on the cover, which is hinged to the container, for ventilation and partial viewing of the contents (not specified) of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,612 issued to T. L. Nederveld on Nov. 23, 1993 discloses a strong stackable container primarily for storing fresh produce such as asparagus spears, the container providing specific openings to partially view the asparagus spears within the container, as well as specific openings for ventilation and hydrocooling of the foodstuffs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,562 issued to W. C. Lai on Nov. 16, 1999, shows a multicomponent bean sprout culture carton having a water carrying plate, a transparent box with a plurality of vent and draining holes, a net plate, including a net sheet, and a transparent hood having a plurality of vent ports, the bean sprouts being only partially viewable from the sides and the top of the carton. U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,425 issued to W. C. Stapp on Jan. 9, 1973, describes a crush resistant shipping carton made of corrugated paper having end panels of paper faced wood veneer with apertures in the front and rear of the cartons, providing a partial view of the contents of the carton.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,660 issued to L. B. Hunt, Jr. on Jul. 29, 1980, discloses a carton for beverage cans having a matrix of inspection holes on the top and bottom of the carton for partially viewing the cans. U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,657 issued to D. T. Thibodeau on Nov. 29, 1983, describes an open top carton having chambers to hold beverage cans in the vertical position and a carrying strap across the open top. U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,869 issued to D. Dickson, et al., on Mar. 21, 1995, describes a display ready shipping carton formed of a corrugated material having an opening in the front panel and an extension of the opening into the top panel for viewing by the purchaser of the contents of the carton and being sufficiently large to remove the contents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,700 issued to M. Joss, et al., on Dec. 27, 1994, discloses a carton for displaying an item contained in the carton by means of a cut out window opening in the front panel of the carton to allow a customer to view the article without opening the container. U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,777 B1 issued to D. L. Bierly on May 29, 2001 shows a carton for displaying articles contained therein, the carton having cut outs for the partial visualization of the article, surrounded by a printer silhouette to simulate the article. U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,371 issued to J. S. O'Neill on Apr. 9, 1996, teaches a partitioned shipping and display carton having a cut out in the front wall for partially viewing the contents, generally household products. U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,970 issued to W. F. Trauschke on Jan. 4, 1972, describes a carton having a window on one of its sides containing an article having a label affixed thereto, the article label of the article being held in register with the windows by a rotation preventing insert.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,555 issued to R. Barbedienne on Feb. 16, 1971, depicts a carton for packing flexible tubes side by side having a base and side pieces with openings to visually inspect a portion of the tubes stacked on the base.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,220 issued to M. R. Bacchetti, et al. on Oct. 31, 1995, describes stackable shipping and display cartons having ventilation holes on the top panel, large holes in the front, rear and side panels, stacking holes in the bottom panel overlaid with a moisture pad. The contents of the carton, fresh produce, such as asparagus may be watered through the top holes and drained through the various drain holes and partially viewed through the holes.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,008 issued to R. G. Platt on May 22, 1990, depicts paperboard cartons for holding a cylindrical article having cut-out windows in the front, back and side walls, the cut-out windows having v-shaped bottom dimensions to partially view articles.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,759 issued to C. E. Palmer on Sep. 7, 1965 describes a carton for the packaging of a non-rotatable container having a window in the front panel extending to the side panels for the partial viewing of the label on the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] As discussed in the section “State of the Art,” numerous cartons are described in the art for the packaging, shipping, inspecting and displaying of various articles of commerce such as foodstuffs, beverage containers, household products and utensils. Many of the cartons are designed to prevent damage to the contents, water and ventilate the foodstuffs contained in the carton during storage and transportation, inspecting the contents of the carton during shipping and displaying the contents at the point of final destination. None of the cartons are designed, however, to allow a person to view entirely an article contained in the carton, for example, the label attached to and completely surrounding an article, for example, a bottle, vial or the top and bottom of a blister pack or a blister, without comprising the integrity of the carton.

[0011] The present invention relates to a carton for the packaging, shipping, storage, inspecting and viewing of the contents of the carton at its destination, without disrupting the integrity of the carton, particularly for viewing an article in its entirety, for example, the labeling of the container for a medicinal for clinical evaluation in the carton. The total viewing of an article in the carton is accomplished by, if necessary, manipulating the article through an aperture, for example by rotating the vial or bottle contained in the carton to expose the whole label, or by flipping a blister pack or blister to expose the label on the front or back of the blister pack or blister, and viewing the article through an aperture, if necessary. The aperture through which the article is manipulated must be sufficiently large to accommodate an instrument such as a finger to rotate the bottle or vial, or flip the blister pack or blister, and view the article, and small enough to prevent the item from escaping. Any instrument small enough to be inserted through the aperture and long enough to be able to rotate or flip the contents of the carton may be used to manipulate the items. A pointer, stylus, needle, rod, or a finger, preferably, the index finger or the index finger and thumb of the human hand would suffice for the intended purpose of flipping or rotating the article within the container. The apertures may be any shape that would permit the insertion of the instrument into the carton to manipulate the articles so that the entire surface labeling of the article may be viewed. Circular, square, triangular or rectangular apertures would be suitable for inserting the instrument; a rectangular aperture would be particularly suitable for the thumb and index finger as the instrument for manipulating the articles of the carton.

[0012] The apertures may be arranged on any or all of the walls of the carton in various shapes and configurations, and combinations thereof. The apertures may be positioned symmetrically, staggered, randomly and independently on each wall. An arrangement where all of the walls of the carton have circular apertures positioned symmetrically on all walls of the carton except the end walls, the end walls having rectangular apertures, for manipulating and viewing of the articles in the box is preferred. The end side rectangular apertures provide a convenient means for manipulating the articles as preferred in the carton for complete viewing of the labeling attached to the surfaces thereof.

[0013] The carton may be fabricated from any rigid or flexible, transparent, translucent or opaque material commonly used for the construction of packaging and shipping containers. Wood, paper, including corrugated cardboard and plastic may be used. Corrugated cardboard and plastics such as polyvinyl chloride are particularly useful for constructing the carton. When transparent corrugated cardboard is used for constructing the carton, the apertures are used for both manipulating and viewing the contents of the carton. Similarly, when a translucent material such as ______ is used, the apertures are used for both manipulating and viewing labels of the bottles, vials and blister packs and blisters contained in the carton. The apertures suitably arranged on the walls of the carton may be employed to manipulate the contents of the carton, when a transparent plastic, for example, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, or poly(ethylene teraphthalate) is employed. The article within the container may also be viewed through the container when it is constructed from a transparent plastic. Typically, a carton for manipulating and viewing entirely the labels of bottles, vials, blisters, and blister packs containing medicaments for clinical evaluations is rectangular, having circular or symmetrically circular apertures in plural rows on four walls of the carton and rectangular slots (apertures) on two opposing walls, the carton being made of a flexible plastic such as poly(ethylene teraphthalate).

[0014] In accordance with the present invention related to a carton having provisions for manipulating and viewing the articles contained in the carton, without disturbing the integrity of the carton, and accessing the contents of the carton, a blank is provided to construct the carton. The blank is cut and scored to define the walls and tabs of the carton, having suitably arranged apertures, and a means of accessing the carton. The carton typically has top, bottom, back, front and end walls and is constructed from a flexible material. The construction of the carton generally involves folding a bottom panel along a scored line over the end panels resting the bottom panel on the tabs of the end panels, and securing the end panels, preferably by an adhesive. The carton is secured by tucking the fold over the flap of a bottom panel in back of the panel and installing a tamper evident seal.

[0015] While the carton may be fabricated from a plastic material, preferably a flexible plastic material such as, for example, a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a polyvinyl chloride, or a poly(ethylene terapthalate), it may be made from a fiber such as paper, for example, corrugated paper board, or wood, or a metal such as a sheet metal. In keeping with the present invention, the carton may be geometrical in shape such as spherical, cylindrical, cubic or rectangular; the apertures may be circular, square, triangular or rectangular. For packaging and shipping, a cubic or rectangular carton is preferred; for viewing an article, a transparent, flexible carton having round or rectangular apertures is also preferred.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the carton is constructed.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton constructed from the blank of FIG. 1 with the hinged access cover in the open position.

[0018]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton constructed from a blank FIG. 1 with the hinged access cover in the closed position.

[0019]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the carton constructed from the blank of FIG. 3 having a row of vials containing medicaments (not shown) for dispensing in clinical trials.

[0020]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carton constructed from the blank of FIG. 1 having a stack of blister packs containing medicaments for dispensing in clinical trials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In accordance with the practice of the present invention, a carton illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, generally designated by the reference numeral 10 is constructed from a flexible plastic material by utilizing the carton blank 11 shown in FIG. 1.

[0022] The carton blank 11 includes symmetrically situated a front panel 12, a rear panel 13, end panels 14 and 15, top panel 16 and bottom panel 17, each panel separated from the other by fold lines 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22. The panels 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 contain apertures 23, 24, 25 and 26 for manipulating and viewing the contents of the carton. The end panels 14 and 15 include support flaps 27, 28, 29 and 30 foldably attached to the top edge 31 and bottom edge 32 of the end panel 14 by fold lines 33 and 34 and to the top edge 35 and bottom edge 36 of end panel 15 by fold lines 37 and 38. The rear panel 13 includes joining flap 39 foldably attached to the outer edge 40 of the rear panel 13 through fold line 41. The top panel 16 and the bottom panel 17 incorporate closure flaps 42 and 43 foldably attached to the outer edges 44 and 45 of top wall 16 and bottom wall 17 by fold lines 46 and 47, respectively. While the panels of the carton blank 11 are shown to be rectangular providing a rectangular carton by constructing the preferred embodiments of the present invention, carton blank 11 having related shapes providing cartons having related configurations are embraced by the instant invention.

[0023] The carton blank 11 of FIG. 1 is folded and assembled into carton 10, shown in FIG. 2. The various panels and flaps of the blank 11 are arranged as walls and flaps of carton 10, as follows: The rear panel 13 is folded upwardly and inwardly along fold line 21 of end panel 15 until it is perpendicularly aligned with inner edge 48 of end panel 14 to form wall 14. Top panel 17 attached to the upper edge 14 of rear panel 13 along fold line 22 is then folded upwardly and inwardly and positioned on support panels 27 and 28 of end panel 14 to form wall 17. Closure flap 39 attached to rear panel 13 along fold line 41 of edge 40 of rear panel 13 is now folded downwardly and inwardly along fold line 41 to complete wall 13. Front panel 12 attached to end panel 14 along fold line 18 of edge 49 is then upwardly and inwardly folded along fold line 18 at the edge 49 until front panel 12 is perpendicularly aligned with end panel 14 to form front wall 12. End panel 14 attached to front panel 12 is folded downwardly and inwardly along fold line 18 of edge 49 of front panel 12 until end panel 14 is perpendicularly aligned with edge 50 of front panel 12 and the inner surface 51 of end panel 14 is juxtaposed with the outer surface of the closure flap 39 of rear panel 13 to form end wall 14 and adhesively secured to joiner flap 39 to form wall 14. The closure flap 43 attached to the outer edge 47 of bottom panel 17 is folded upwardly along fold line 47. The bottom panel 16 is then folded upwardly and inwardly until it is perpendicularly aligned with front panel 12 and juxtaposed on support flaps 29 and 30 of end panel 15 and tucked into rear panel 13 to form cover 16 of carton 10. Similarly, closure flap 42 attached to outer edge 44 of top panel 16 is folded downwardly along fold line 36. Top panel 16 is then folded downwardly and inwardly until it is perpendicularly aligned with front panel 12 and juxtaposed with support flap 29 of end panel 15 and tucked inside of front panel 12 to form top cover 16. The top and bottom covers 16 and 17 respectively, are secured to front and rear walls by a tamper evident lock (not shown).

[0024] The carton 10 may be assembled by simultaneously folding the opposing panels and flaps and tabs securing the end panels to the rear panel.

[0025]FIG. 2 shows carton 10 with the top cover 16 in the open position to accept and remove articles such as bottles 51 (FIG. 4), vials (not shown), blister packs 52 (FIG. 5) and blisters (not shown). Each of the containers, the bottles, vials, blister packs and blisters, which typically contain medicaments generally to be dispensed to patients in clinical investigations, are surrounded by labels 53 (FIGS. 4 and 5) as required by law. When the carton 10 is fully packed with the containers, at least part of the label 53 is restricted from view.

[0026]FIG. 3 shows carton 10 with top cover 16 in the closed position secured to front wall 12 by, for example, a tamper evident lock (not shown). The bottom panel 17, which is hingedly attached to the edge 48 of rear wall 13 of blank 11 (FIG. 1), may be opened to gain access to the bottom panel 17 of carton 10 to remove the containers.

[0027]FIG. 4 shows carton 10 containing bottles 51 with the top cover 16 in the open position to remove the bottles contained in the carton after viewing the entire label attached to the bottle with the top cover 16 in the closed position. To view the entire label 53 bound to the bottle, the bottle is rotated until the entire label 53 is exposed to the viewer 54. Rotation of the bottle within carton 10 is accomplished by inserting the index fingers into the carton through suitably placed apertures in the walls of the carton 10 and turning the bottle manually around its vertical axis through 360° or until the entire label is exposed to the viewer 54. In the event the carton 10 is constructed from a transparent material, the viewer 54 will be able to see the entire label 53 through the walls of the carton 10. The viewer 54 may also view the entire label 53 through the appropriate aperture 23, 24, 25 or 26. When the carton 10 is constructed from a translucent or transparent material, the viewer 54 would by necessity view the entire label through the appropriate apertures 23, 24, 25 or 26.

[0028] The bottles 51 of carton 10 may be rotated to expose the entire label 53 to the viewer 54 by suitable mechanical means through the appropriate apertures 23, 24, 25 or 26.

[0029] Vials, not shown, in carton 10 may be rotated to expose the label attached to the vial, and the label viewed in its entirety by rotation and viewing as in the case of the bottles, above.

[0030] Labels 55 attached to the top 56 and bottom 57 of the blister pack 52 as shown in FIG. 5 are exposed to the viewer 54 by flipping the blister pack over, that is, turning it 180° over the axis parallel to the bottom panel 16. Initially the top of the blister pack is exposed to the viewer 54; the bottom is exposed to the viewer by flipping the blister pack through 180° within the carton 10. As in the case of the bottles 51 illustrated and discussed above, the labels 53 on the top 56 and bottom 57 of the blister pack 52 is viewed through the walls of the carton 10, when the carton 10 is made of a transparent material, or through the appropriate apertures 23, 24, 25 and 26 when the blister pack is made of a translucent or opaque material. The blister packs are generally turned over, this is, rotated or flipped 180° over the axis parallel to the top or bottom of the carton 10, by the viewer 54 inserting his index fingers, and if necessary, the thumb, into the appropriate aperture, 23, 24, 25 or 26, preferably the rectangular apertures 25 and 26 of the end panels 14 and 15 of the carton 10, by placing the fingers below the blister pack and moving the fingers upwardly and outwardly, or inwardly to view, initially the top, and then the bottom of the blister pack's label 55. Any device similar in shape and size, for example, a stylus, dowel, or rod may be used in place of the fingers.

[0031] A preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described. The invention, it is understood, should not be limited by the illustration or description, since various modifications of the invention may be made within the scope thereof. 

We claim:
 1. A carton for containing an article comprising a unitary body totally enclosed by a wall or walls having at least one aperture in each wall for manipulating and viewing the article and a means of accessing and removing the article.
 2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the unitary body is spherical, cylindrical, conical, cubical, pyramidal, triangular or rectangular.
 3. A carton according to claim 2 wherein the unitary body is cubical or rectangular.
 4. The carton according to claim 3 wherein the unitary body is cubical or rectangular.
 5. A carton according to claim 1 wherein each wall of the unitary body has a plurality of apertures.
 6. The carton according to claim 5 wherein each wall of the unitary body has a plurality of apertures to permit manipulating and viewing the article.
 7. A carton according to claim 1 wherein each wall of the unitary body has apertures shaped to permit manipulating and viewing the article.
 8. The carton according to claim 7 wherein the aperture of each wall of the unitary body is circular, square, triangular, rectangular or elliptical.
 9. The carton according to claim 8 wherein the aperture of each wall of the unitary body is circular or rectangular.
 10. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the unitary body is opaque, translucent, or transparent.
 11. A carton according to claim 10 wherein the unitary body is translucent or transparent.
 12. The carton according to claim 11 wherein the unitary body is transparent.
 13. A carton according to claim 12 wherein the unitary body is flexible, resilient, or rigid.
 14. A carton according to claim 13 wherein the unitary body is resilient or rigid.
 15. The carton according to claim 14 wherein the unitary body is resilient.
 16. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the unitary body comprises a partition or partitions to divide the body into two or more sections.
 17. A carton for containing an article comprising an enclosed unitary body having cubically or rectangularly arranged side and end walls, a side wall attached to the rear edges of the side walls, a top wall attached to the top edges of the side wall and top edge of the rear wall, a bottom wall attached to the bottom edges of the side walls and rear wall and a side wall hingedly attached to the front edge of the bottom wall, to permit access to and removal of the article or articles, wherein the hingedly attached side wall is secured to the top wall by a tamper evident seal, and each wall of the unitary body has at least one aperture for manipulating and viewing the article or articles.
 18. A carton according to claim 17 wherein each wall of the unitary body contains a plurality of apertures.
 19. A carton according to claim 18 wherein the aperture or plurality of apertures of each wall are positioned to permit manipulation and viewing of the article or articles in the container.
 20. A carton according to claim 19 wherein the aperture or plurality of apertures in each wall of the unitary body are circular, square, triangular or rectangular.
 21. A carton according to claim 20 wherein the apertures in each wall of the unitary body are linearly aligned in one or more rows or columns.
 22. A carton according to claim 21 wherein the walls of the unitary body are transparent and resilient.
 23. The carton according to claim 22 wherein the unitary body is rectangular having transparent, resilient walls on which the rectangular apertures of the end walls are off-centered, the sides, top and bottom apertures of which are parallel to the sides, top and bottom, respectively, of the body, the circular apertures of the side, top and bottom walls are symmetrically aligned in two parallel rows equidistant from the top, bottom and side edges of the body to allow, manipulation and viewing of the article and one of the walls is hingedly attached to the bottom wall to allow access to and removal of the article.
 24. A carton for containing an article according to claim 1 wherein information is imprinted thereon or presented on a label attached thereto.
 25. A carton according to claim 24 wherein the article is a vial, bottle, blister or blister card.
 26. A carton according to claim 1 wherein the unitary body is divided into independent compartments, each compartment having an independent means for accessing and removing the articles without disturbing the integrity of the other compartments.
 27. A method of entirely viewing an article contained in a carton without disturbing the integrity of the carton comprising the steps of: a) providing a carton having a unitary body totally enclosed by a wall or walls having at least one aperture in a wall of the body; b) a means for manipulating the article within the body; whereby the article is manipulated through the aperture and viewed.
 28. A method according to claim 27 wherein the article is viewed through the aperture when the carton is opaque or translucent.
 29. A method according to claim 27 wherein the article is viewed through the aperture or carton when the carton is transparent.
 30. A method according to claim 27 wherein the unitary body is spherical, cylindrical, conical, cubical, pyramidal, triangular or rectangular.
 31. A method according to claim 30 wherein the unitary body is cubical or rectangular.
 32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the unitary body is cubical or rectangular.
 33. A method according to claim 27 wherein each wall of the unitary body has a plurality of apertures.
 34. A method according to claim 33 wherein each wall of the unitary body has a plurality of apertures to permit manipulating and viewing the article.
 35. A method according to claim 27 wherein each wall of the unitary body has apertures shaped to permit manipulating and viewing the article.
 36. A method according to claim 35 wherein the aperture of each wall of the unitary body is circular, square, triangular, rectangular or elliptical.
 37. A method according to claim 36 wherein the aperture of each wall of the unitary body is circular or rectangular.
 38. A method according to claim 27 wherein the unitary body is opaque, translucent, or transparent.
 39. A method according to claim 38 wherein the unitary body is translucent or transparent.
 40. A method according to claim 39 wherein the unitary body is transparent.
 41. A method according to claim 40 wherein the unitary body is flexible, resilient, or rigid.
 42. A method according to claim 41 wherein the unitary body is resilient or rigid.
 43. A method according to claim 42 wherein the unitary body is resilient.
 44. A method according to claim 27 wherein the unitary body comprises a partition or partitions to divide the body into two or more sections.
 45. A method of entirely viewing an article contained in a body having cubically or rectangularly arranged side and end walls, a side wall attached to the rear edges of the side walls, a top wall attached to the top edges of the side wall and top edge of the rear wall, a bottom wall attached to the bottom edges of the side walls and rear wall and a side wall hingedly attached to the front edge of the bottom wall, to permit access to and removal of the article or articles, wherein the hingedly attached side wall is secured to the top wall by a tamper evident seal, and each wall of the unitary body has at least one aperture for manipulating and viewing the article or articles.
 46. A method according to claim 44 wherein each wall of the unitary body contains a plurality of apertures.
 47. A method according to claim 46 wherein the aperture or plurality of apertures of each wall are positioned to permit manipulation and viewing of the article or articles in the container.
 48. A method according to claim 47 wherein the aperture or plurality of apertures in each wall of the unitary body are circular, square, triangular or rectangular.
 49. A method according to claim 48 wherein the apertures in each wall of the unitary body are linearly aligned in one or more rows or columns.
 50. A method according to claim 49 wherein the walls of the unitary body are transparent and resilient.
 51. A method according to claim 50 wherein the unitary body is rectangular having transparent, resilient walls on which the rectangular apertures of the end walls are off-centered, the sides, top and bottom apertures of which are parallel to the sides, top and bottom, respectively, of the body, the circular apertures of the side, top and bottom walls are symmetrically aligned in two parallel rows equidistant from the top, bottom and side edges of the body to allow, manipulation and viewing of the article and one of the walls is hingedly attached to the bottom wall to allow access to and removal of the article.
 52. A method according to claim 51 wherein information is imprinted thereon or presented on a label attached thereto.
 53. A method according to claim 51 wherein the article is a container for a pharmaceutical agent.
 54. A method according to claim 53 wherein the article agent is a vial, bottle, blister or blister card. 